NOTE: This article contains potential SPOILERS for Deadpool 2
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The new teaser trailer for Deadpool 2 may be a love letter to Bob Ross, but there are plenty of Marvel details and X-Men clues hidden in the footage for fans to catch. The footage of the actual movie - which may or may not actually be called Deadpool 2 - lasts only a few seconds, but going shot-by-shot offers up plenty for fans to speculate on, celebrate, or laugh at some truly inside jokes.
To make sure that the fans of Deadpool, Cable, Domino, and even the mystery villain of Deadpool 2 don't miss out on a single detail, we're breaking them all down. So without further ado, and with a clear warning that some potential SPOILERS may lie ahead, let's get to it.
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10. The Yellow Sky
Look, it may be our desire to see Ryan Reynolds's Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine at work (again), but it's hard to imagine any piece of Deadpool marketing that chooses NOT to take a shot at the clawed, super-healing mutant with a famously bad attitude. After the first movie took more than one shot at Jackman - first suggesting that Deadpool performed sexual favors with Fox's biggest X-Men star to get his own movie made, then stapling a photo of the Aussie's face to his own scarred visage - the pair's link was established.
No, Wolverine doesn't appear in the Deadpool 2 teaser in either explicit or concealed form. But Wade Wilson's decision to start off his painting by painting the sky a brilliant shade of yellow seems a little strange... until you remember most of the posters used to market Logan, Fox's most recent R-Rated entry in the X-Men universe. A truly subtle reference to the marketing department's idea of giving Wolverine's final movie a yellow sky aesthetic? We'll take it.
9. Mr. Sinister Confirmed?
There isn't too much we're able (or willing) to pull out of the choice of landscapes being painted by Deadpool in between shots, since a picturesque cottage could mean any number of locations in both his and Wolverine's history. But it's the shift from Bob Ross homage to actual trailer that has our attention. More specifically, what suddenly appears on the canvas before Wade tosses his paint palette in surprise and blows the segment. Especially since it appears that he didn't paint it at all, exploding in shock when he sets eyes on the design, and beginning to back away.
The image may seem like random paint splotches, but break it down: a large section of red in what looks to be the shape of shoulders and a head. Then within that field of red, a smaller circle - a head, perhaps? - marked with two black eyes, and a splash of white. Some might have read the image as Deadpool's mask at first glance, but it's a poor match. Imagine that red is actually a cape wrapped around and behind the head within, though, and it's a subtle-but-noticable rendition of Mister Sinister. Also known as Nathan Essex, he's been hinted at in the most recent X-Men films, and has a MAJOR connection to Cable (he created him).
Since Sinister's story hinges on time travel, and Ryan Reynolds has teased time travel for Deadpool 2, we think we might be onto something.
8. Mutant Prison Break
It wouldn't be a trailer for Deadpool (or any superhero movie these days, to be honest) without some pyrotechnics and exploding set pieces. And what's the only thing that can make a Marvel explosion better? Easy: a mutant prison break. At least that's what the scene appears to include, based on the guards wrestling with people in yellow jumpsuits, and that the explosions are shattering what look to be plastic containment cells. Which means fans have some theories to spin right off the bat.
The first Deadpool movie featured the capturing and weaponizing of mutants as a key plot point, so there's no reason to think that it wouldn't continue into the sequel. That being said, there's a very good chance that this facility is connected to a new group of mutant-minded government security. In the comics they're known as the Mutant Response Division, but they take a new title in Deadpool 2. And this isn't the only potential glimpse of their operation offered in the trailer, either...
7. Negasonic Warhead's New Look (And More)
Finally we arrive at the one shot, the one character, and the one costume that is guaranteed to turn the most heads (beyond Deadpool and Cable, of course... well, probably). This is the first look that fans have at the new, improved, and even more experienced member of the X-Men, Negasonic Teenage Warhead (played by Brianna Hildebrand). Where the first movie found her with a shaved head and a bad attitude, the sequel suggests her character has been layered further - even if her feelings towards Wade Wilson can still be summed up in a single gesture. Still, she admitted to thinking he was "cool" so there's no pretending anything different.
Beyond confirming that the haircut and costume means Negasonic is a new level of X-Men at the Xavier School, fans should look beyond her in this shot. No, not to the yellow and black costume which is instantly among the very best the movie X-Men have ever gotten. We're referring to the large vehicle behind her emblazoned with the letters 'DMC' - what looks to be the movie version of the aforementioned Mutant Response Division. Prior set photos suggested that a transport pod would come into play, so that may be the answer. But why the hero mutants are standing idly by - and why that same truck appears to smash into a building a few shots later - is up for discussion.
6. Wade's Got a Target
The teaser trailer may be lighter on the sword or gun play than the original movie's early marketing, but there is still a moment communicating Wade Wilson's rage and superhuman abilities. The man running through rainy streets is hard to identify from these short clips, but it's obvious Wade wants him bad. First Wade can be seen dropping onto a car from a height great enough to shatter its windows on impact, not long after the man in the black jacket has passed it on foot. From then on, it looks like Wade is either channeling newfound super strength, or simply filled with adrenaline as he screams, smashes into the fleeing man's driver's side door, and sends him toppling out the other side of the car.
For all his lethality, Wade Wilson isn't actually that much of an 'angry' man - at least not in the first movie, where his ability to break the fourth wall kept the action firmly footed in the 'fun' category, not its harrowing, dramatic counterpart. So is Deadpool 2 showing a new side of Deadpool? Is this a hint that something terrible will transpire in the film, driving the hero to previously unseen levels of vengeance? We're hoping that isn't related to his beloved Vanessa, but... if time traveling mutants are in store, then a 'dead girlfriend' is a lot easier to believe. Keep those fingers crossed, for her sake.
5. A New Mutant & Cult of... Cable?
Now we're getting to the juicy bits of the teaser trailer footage, beginning with what looks to be another pyromaniac mutant debuting in the X-Men movie universe. That's actor Julian Dennison (Hunt For The Wilderpeople) standing in the midst of those flaming chairs and colorful banners, leading us to believe that he's actually the source of the blaze, and not a potential victim of it. Dennison's actual role in the film has been kept under wraps, and this new shot may offer an explanation. If Dennison's new mutant isn't just a pyro, but the Pyro - the fire-wielding mutant seen in two previous X-Men movies - then this could be his explosive re-introduction.
But just as interesting as the mutant abilities potentially on display, if not more so, are the banners lining the space. All things considered, anti-mutant propaganda promoting "pure blood" and "humanity" is par for the course in any X-Men movie. Unlike the other movies in the franchise, though, is the religious overtones in phrases commanding that people "prepare themselves" and that "the end is near." A cult fearing a mutant apocalypse would actually make complete sense if Deadpool 2 is taking place in the same world as X-Men: Apocalypse.
The real twist is the figure on the left banner, potentially the "end" that draws near... which look a lot like Cable. Or Colossus, for that matter. A sign that mutants in general are being vilified, or that the metal-armed, time-traveling Cable has already built a reputation among a god-fearing cult? Only time will tell.
4. First Look at Domino
From the moment that the first look at Zazie Beetz's take on Domino was dropped, showing the 'lucky' mutant laying on Deadpool like a bearskin rug, it was clear she would be giving him a run for his comedic money. And while the trailer doesn't offer a particularly clear look at her costume, weaponry, or the still-insanely-brilliant vitiligo forming her signature eye spot, it does show she's not afraid to throw herself into danger. She shouldn't be, assuming her movie mutation will be similar to the comics, where she was capable of manufacturing her own luck (on a somewhat vague, telekinetic level of probability-pushing).
The setting seems to suggest the same kind of community center or hall as the fires set by or around Julian Dennison's mystery mutant. That means fans should look a bit closer at the propaganda since this location will be a significant one. And depending on just what Domino is after as she pushes through the burning building, the pyromaniac mutant could be a friendly or foe. Whatever his loyalties turn out to be, of course, the odds will be in her favor.
3. Wade Crashes His Own Funeral
In any other movie, let alone a teaser trailer for a movie, a shot of the hero sitting bolt upright in a coffin clearly placed for an actual funeral would give viewers pause. For Deadpool though, it doesn't seem like a stretch. Aside from showcasing the beautiful landscape of British Columbia where the film was shot, the brief look at Wade's own funeral crashing raises more questions than answers. Is it really supposed to be his funeral? Has he replaced the body that should be in the coffin, sending that poor soul's family running? Is it meant to help him get the drop on a different mourning target?
You don't actually need the answers to appreciate the lunacy, though, and Wade Wilson makes every outcome likely. The nearby headstones and floral arrangements are obstructed just enough to deny us any leads, meaning the wilder the theory, the better. Who thinks it's easily explained away as Wade's favorite place to nap? Perhaps some role-playing for a man who simply can't die? Even after seeing the movie for ourselves... we may never know the truth.
2. Crazy Credits
The Bob Ross send-up may not contain many actual clues to the film itself, instead focusing on subtle references (and not-so-subtle ones) in its end credits roll. Still, just to make sure every viewer can appreciate every one of the jokes being told, let's run down the names.
The executive paintducer is listed as Ross Bobart, for Bob Ross the artist. The lead singer is shown to be Jerrika Benton, the civilian identity of the famous animated singing sensation better known to her fans and Holograms as 'Jem.' Geordie LeForge is a clear nod to Geordie La Forge, who maintains his position as Chief Engineer as he apparently shifts from Star Trek's Enterprise to Deadpool's paint program. The Golden Girls' Blanche Devereaux handles video editing (don't ask) while Ted E. (Teddy) Ruxpin the children's character and stuffed bear tackles audio.
From there, the real references start. Wayne Campbell operates both Camera 1 and Camera 2 (a nod to the Wayne's World joke), Thomasn 'Tom' Edison is the master of lighting, while security is handled by 'Dalton' (Patrick Swayze's character in the classic Road House). Boom, as always, "goes the dynamite," while gripping is left to Chim Chim, the monkey from Speed Racer. And as always, the affection felt by Deadpool for Spider-Man is referenced in the dedication of eternal love to 'Bug N' Parker.'
1. We Know That Hand...
Since the mysterious but inevitable casting of Cable was alluded to from the post-credits scene of the first Deadpool movie, we can't begrudge the filmmakers or studio for withholding the full reveal of Josh Brolin's Cable in action. The long-awaited debut of the other half of 'Cable & Deadpool' is certainly the kind of thing more suited to a full length trailer, after all. But the short tease after the teaser is all the tease fans need be teased. A metallic hand, and a table filled with a feast of gun components.
It's worth noting that the mechanical nature (and tactile clicking) of Cable's left hand suggest a slight departure from the comic book origins. In his original story, Cable's limb, organs, and eye were overtaken by a techno-organic virus that transformed his body into a comic-book-y blend of organic metal. The look of human muscles remained, but rendered super-strong as a result. Not so in this case, at least not without clarifying that the virus which claimed Cable's arm also simplified the joints and flesh. You won't hear us complaining.
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Those are all the Easter Eggs, theories, new reveals, character designs, and inside jokes the minds behind Deadpool 2 fit into the teaser trailer, but we're sure there are more to be found as the most devoted fans continue to watch and rewatch. If you know of any we missed, be sure to share them in the comments!
